Napkin-dispensing device



Speoific'ation'of Lettrs lPatent;

narxntmsrmvs nvGnnvion;

Application filed: June 6', 19212 Serial No; 475,271."

for use'in dispensing papentowels or other articles made up. ofmaterial-in sheet form and designedtobe wound in' aroll and tornoffz'asrequi1*ed=for:use'.-; v

One o't' theeobj-ects :of thecinventionis to produce a, device, of; thischaracter whereby theapurchaser: may conveniently obtain from airollany; desired quantity of paper napkin material without aniyihandlingjofthe roll,

or unnecessary wasting-trot theamaterial, and with which a strip-cotinapkin material folded once and a then rolled into cylindrical form maybe used, if-founddesirable. With a roll of paper ofzthis character, theoperator-will unfold the napkin afterremovingitvfrom the roll, .andzwillitheni have a a substantially square-enapkine,

A'rfurther obj ect 'is to vproduce a device of this character,especially-adapted :to be se-' cured to the rear edge of: atcounter, but

within convenient reach of the patrons of a restaurant, andswhichw'wil'lprotect the unwound portion of :ther roli from all dust and dirt Anotherobject is to produce a device which I may be 'easilyand quicklyreplenished and which has no: intricate or complicated parts which willrequire frequent "adj ustment.v

Azstil l further obj ect is toproduo'e-a device of thisv character orsimple, strong, durable,

efficient and inexpensive construction; and in. order that it maybefully understood,.

reference is to be had :tothe accompanying drawing, in: whlch Figure-lis-a.-perspective view; partly broken away, of ra papernapkin dispensingdevice embodying the inventiom Figure 2 is a rear :view of the devicewith a part of same removed to -moreclearly illustrate the lnventi-on'.

Figure'iiis' asection on the line III- IIlIl-oiflFigureQ; and

Figure-d is a perspective view'of a strip of-theiolded napkin materialasit appears when :torn from :the roll.

In'thecsa-id drawing, where like reference characters identifycorresponding; parts in allof-the views, 1 is a-rig'ht-angle shapedsupport provided at its ends with downwardly extending legs 2, providedwith openings whereby the support is adapted tovbe securedto-acounter 3or the like, through the-'1nstrunientalityoia series of screws l.

The'legsQare provided with slots 5 which are adapted to register withopenings formed-initheends of cross-piece 7, said crosspiece"be1ngsecured in adjustable relation: with. respect to the counter by meansof: clamping bolts-8; It will be understood th atthe position ofadjustment of the crosspiece '7 will be determined according to thediameter oi the rollol paperand-by the widthEotthecounter to which thedevice is secured. Cross-piece 7 is formed at its ends, w1th-aspa1r oidownwardly and rearwardly extendingarnisi) tormed'near their ends withvertical'slots. 9 adapted'to receive a supporting shaft or spindle 10provided with an operatingvhandle 11, and on which is mounted a roll ofpaper napkin material. 12 folded longitudinally. (see Figure at).

The 'paperdrfawn from the roll will pass rearwardlygand overa guide arm13 secured in ears 13' formed on the legs& near the lower ends thereot.'The paper will then pass vertically upward over a guideirod 155mountedbetween a pair of ears 16 formed on'rthesupport l, as illustrated.

At tlie-tlront'edge 0t the-horizontal portion of support 1,; that is,the portion resting on theiace oi' the counter, a verticallyextending-guard lT .isiormed, provided with a pair ot'side' members 18.

At a suitable point :above the surface of rateateeaui 25, 1922;

wardly projecting clamping jaw 22 provided at its ends with operatingfingers 23, and normally adapted to be held elevated under the pressureof a pair of coiled springs 24: mounted on rod 21. In operation, theclamping wardly and will reliably clamp and hold the paper againstslippage by pressing it against a right-angle shaped jaw member 25depending from member 19 (see Figure 3), in which position the paperwill be torn along the line of the clamping jaws. In order that thepaper may be prevented from moving rearwardly and withdrawing itsprojected end from between jaws 22 and 25,

a guide roller 26 is mounted on asubstantially inverted Ushaped springframe 27 secured on member 1, and so proportioned that it will giveslightly to allow paper to be pulled from the dispenser, but willimmediately move rearwardly and clamp the paper against the inside faceof a cover member, hereinafter described, when such pulling force isremoved.

It will be understood that the paper will be fed over the guides, asshown in Figure 3, and out between the clamping jaws, and in order toprotect'such paper napkin material from dust and the like, a covermember 28 is provided, formed with a forward extension 29 adapted to beengaged in the guides 20 and overlie the jaw 22, and a downwardlyextending portion 30 which will depend to plane slightly below guide rod13 and thus efficiently protect the unrolled portion of the paper fromdust and the like.

Portion 28 is provided with a pair of flanges 31 formed with notches 32for engagement with pins 33 in sides L8 to lock the cover againstaccidental dislodgment, it being understood that the flanges willoverlap the upper extremities of sides 18. Por-i tion 30 is providedwith side flanges 34 of sufficient width to lie in substantially thesame plane as the edge of the counter 4 (see Figure 3), and thus closethe sides of the dispensing device from the entry of dust and the like.

Member 28 is also provided with a pair vertical members 35 between iwhich menus. announcements or other material for distribution to thepatrons may be placed, and the rear-most of said members is formed witha pair of projecting wings 36 at each side, the lower edges of whichwill abut the counter and form suitable backings for salt and peppershakers, knives and forks. or other utensils for the use of the patrons.

In order to obtain a napkin, the customer will grasp the torn end of thepaper material projecting from the jaws and Will pull the desiredquantity from the dispenser. He will then apply downward pressure on oneof the ears 23 which will firmly clamp jaw will be swung dOWIl".

the paper against the jaw 25. The paper may then be torn along the lineof the clamping jaws, and the jaw 22 will immediately return to normalor elevated position upon the removal of the downward pressure on one ofthe ears 23 and the device will be ready for a second operation.

It will thus be apparent that I have provided a practical and efiicientdevice for carryingout the desired objects of the invention, and while Ihave illustrated and described what Iflnow regard as the preferred formof dispensing device for embodying the improved features, I desire toreserve the right to make all such changes or modifications as mayfairly fall Within the scope of the appended claims. a

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of ahorizontal support, an angular supporting member secured to one edge ofsaid support and projecting both above and below thesame, means forsuspending a roll of material from the lower projecting portion of saidmember, a cover member applied to said supporting member and havingmeans cooperating with the upper projecting portion of the latter toclamp the material while a portion is being torn therefrom, and guidingmeans between the source of material and said clamping means andincluding means for preventing rearward movement of the materlal after aportion has been torntherefrom.

2. In a deviceof the character described, the combination ofa horizontalsupport, a right-angle shaped support secured to the edge thereof andhaving downwardly extending legs, a material-carrying member adj'ustablysecured to said legs, paper clamping means carried by said right-angleshaped support, guiding means between said source of supply and saidpaper clamping means, and a cover memberadapted to be removably securedtosaid right-angle shaped sup port. i

3. In a device of the character described, a horizontal support, aright-angle shaped support adjustably secured to the edge thereof andhaving downwardly extending legs, material-supporting arms adjustablysecured to said legs, a paper guide carried by the lower ends of saidlegs, a second paper guide carried by said right-angle shaped support inthe horizontal plane of said first support, paper clamping means carriedby saidiright-angle shaped support above said horizontal support, acover member removably secured to said right-angle shaped support, and a-yielding rollercarried by said right-angle shaped support and adaptedfor pressing the paper against said,

cover member to hold said paper from rearward movement.

4. In a device of the character described,

a horizontal support, a right-angle shaped support secured to the edgeof said first support and having downwardly extending legs,material-supporting arms adjustably secared to said legs, a paper guidecarried by the lower ends of saidlegs, a second paper guide carried bysaid right-angle shaped support in substantially the same horizontalplane as said first support, paper clamping means carried by saidright-angle shaped support above said horizontal support, a. coveroverlying said paper clamping means, and a roller carried by saidright-angle shaped support in position for engagement with the paper andpreventing rearward movement thereof after a portion has been torntherefrom.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support,supporting means for a roll of material adjustably secured to saidsupport and below the same a downwardly depending fixed jaw, a secondjaw pivoted for cooperative engagement with said fixed jaw to clamp thepaper while a portion is torn therefrom, guiding means between thesource of material and said clamping jaws, and means for preventingrearward movement of the paper after a portion has been torn therefrom.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of ahorizontal support, a right-angle shaped support adjustably secured tothe edge of said first support and having downwardly extending legs,material-supporting arms adjustably secured to said legs, a guidecarried by the lower ends of said legs, a second guide carried by saidright-angle shaped support in the horizontal plane of said firstsupport, a right-angle shaped fixed jaw above said horizontal support, aspring-actuated jaw for cooperating with said fixed jaw in clamping thepaper between them, a cover overlying said rightangle shaped support andforming a paper c guide in combination with said guide elements, and ayielding roller carried by said right-angle shaped support in positionfor engagement with the paper and preventing rearward movement thereof.

In witness whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

CLAY R. VINSON.

